The Hero's Guide to Heroism
by tyrannosaurus.rose
Summary: A collection of short glimpses into the life of Zack Fair as he lives, learns, and grows. Character-driven, no overarching plot. Focus: Zack/Sephiroth, also: Zack/Genesis, Genesis/Angeal, more to come. SMUT hosted on AO3, links in profile.
1. Success of Great Magnitude

A Success of Great Magnitude

Word Count: 299

For once in his life, Zack Fair stood absolutely still, gazing in awe at the sight before him. His heart raced, his palms were beginning to sweat, and although he noticed his lips had parted and he stood like a slack-jawed buffoon, he could do nothing but continue to stare. Slowly, ever so slowly, his expression changed from one of awe to one of hope and longing, and he took a small step forward.

For its part, the chocobo gazed solemnly back. Zack's approach, slow as it was, did not startle the bird one bit. Slowly, ever so slowly, Zack reached a hand across the distance, fingers extended, breath baited. Inches away from the beak of the enormous bird, his hand stopped. Still the chocobo stared, as if with its eyes it could measure the content of Zack's character.

Then, as if deciding the spiky-haired boy had passed some unspoken test, the chocobo gently lowered its beak to butt against the tips of the SOLDIER's fingers. In a rush of air, Zack let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. After a moment of what seemed to be disbelieving relief, Zack let out a whoop of pure joy and vaulted onto the unsaddled beast's back.

The chocobo pranced a bit, getting used to the weight, and flapped its wings a few times before taking off to run laps around the paddock, its rider making happy sounds of encouragement along the way. "Seph, you are the ABSOLUTE BEST, how did you KNOW?!" he yelled delightedly as they dashed by in a blur of black spikes and yellow feathers.

From his place leaning against the paddock fence, Sephiroth felt a smile tug at his lips. After all, what did a success of this magnitude deserve, if not celebration?


	2. A Crazy Idea

A Crazy Idea

Word Count: 947

From the moment he stepped foot in the General's office, Angeal knew something was wrong. The office was a standard of cleanliness and order: perfectly normal. Sephiroth's personal assistant sat at her desk in the outer office, a look of confused concentration on her face. Well within her standard behavior spectrum. Sephiroth was sitting unmoving at his desk, staring at paperwork – not particularly unusual.

The file he was looking at was upside down.

Angeal started counting seconds silently as he waited for Sephiroth to notice. When three minutes passed and the General had hardly blinked, Angeal decided to intervene.

"Sephiroth," he said as he went a step farther into the office. No change. "Sephiroth, what's wrong?" Angeal tried again.

For a moment, there was no response. Then, Sephiroth's brow scrunched slightly and he looked up at the older First. "What do you do when you quarrel with Fair?"

Angeal stared at the General, stumped. Quarrel with Zack? Zack never argued with anyone, unless it was something trivial, like the comparative merits of butts over boobs. The boy got along with everyone, all the time. Even the women he flirted with so shamelessly always forgave him almost immediately. It was impossible not to.

Angeal paused and tried to reorient his thinking. If Sephiroth had asked in response to his opening query, it meant he and Zack _were_ fighting. If Zack and Sephiroth were fighting, and it was enough to have the General staring unblinking at upside-down reports for three solid minutes or more, it was bad.

"If he says something stupid, I usually just deck him," Angeal finally responded. "He's good at associating cause and effect." It worked with rewards, too, and was one (among many) of the ways Zack had earned his nickname.

"In this case, I believe I may be the one in need of a… 'decking,' as you put it," Sephiroth said slowly.

Angeal narrowed his eyes. If Sephiroth had done something to Zack that was bad enough to have him this out of sorts, it was _bad_. (A small voice in the back of Angeal's head reminded him that if Zack had been hospitalized, Angeal would have been notified. It didn't help much.) "What did you do?" he asked carefully, trying to sound only inquisitive and not judgmental. Zack was his student, but Sephiroth was his friend.

"Angeal, have you ever…" Sephiroth's voice trailed off, but Angeal waited patiently, knowing the younger SOLDIER was only searching for the best phrasing. "Have you ever had to systematically and consistently refuse Fair something he indicated he wanted?"

_What_. If this was about sex, Angeal didn't want to know. Although they weren't related, Angeal thought of Zack as family, and when so few things could be kept secret at ShinRa, Angeal was adamant that his puppy's personal life _stay_ personal.

Delicately, Angeal tried to do some recon. "Something he told you explicitly he wanted, you mean?"

Sephiroth looked pained. "Not… exactly. But for example, have you ever had to tell him his… physical affection… was being exhibited in levels inappropriate for a professional setting?"

Oh. Actually, Angeal _had_ been wondering when this would become a problem. Everyone knew Zack and Sephiroth cared deeply for one another, just as everyone knew they were good for each other and everyone could see the evidence of mutual growth.

It was also well-known that while Zack was affectionate enough that his warmth could heat a city block, Sephiroth struggled with casual physical intimacy, and tended to fall back on regulation when unsure how to proceed in interpersonal relationships. When they had first started dating, Angeal had been surprised at how well Zack took Sephiroth's physical standoffishness, and assumed it was made up for in private to an extent that well enough compensated. Maybe not.

"Of course. Zack has always been extraordinarily affectionate. The first time I took him to see Lazard, I was terrified he would climb into the man's lap. But he's been much better behaved recently." This was the extent of Angeal's ability to not-so-subtly invite the General to come out with what was bothering him.

Sephiroth quirked a smile at the reference to Zack's obedience school days. "He behaves well enough. But he doesn't _want_ to. He doesn't want to _have_ to, but I can't… I can't change everything just for him."

"Of course you can't. Protocol exists for a reason, and Zack knows that. Just as I'm sure he knows you have things you struggle with, and things you need from your relationship with him. Boundaries, you might say. And I'm sure he would respect them and help you push past them at your own pace as long as you make it clear what they are."

Sephiroth frowned. "We have talked about it. He knows how I feel, and I know how he feels. And he says it's fine, and he seems understanding, but—"

"But he has needs, too." Angeal suddenly felt very sympathetic towards his young friend.

"I just don't want to disappoint him, Angeal. I don't – I can't – I don't want to have to give him up." The, "but if it becomes clear he's absolutely better off without me, I will, although it will be at great personal loss" was left unspoken but not unheard.

Angeal frowned thoughtfully. When it came right down to it, Sephiroth was a possessive bastard, but maybe for the sake of keeping Zack he would allow the boy to spread his attentions. Not that Zack would likely agree to a polygamous relationship, but…

"What if…" Angeal started. Sephiroth, who had been morosely examining his desk after his latest confession, snapped to attention. "What if you got him a pet?"


	3. A Puppy for Puppy

A Puppy for Puppy

Word Count: 335

"_What if you got him a pet?"_

Angeal had dropped that bomb and then decided their conversation was over, apparently, because after that he proceeded to dump a stack of mission reports on Sephiroth's desk for final review, comment briefly that the report in front of the General appeared to be upside-down, and then turned and left the office.

Now alone in his office and unobserved, Sephiroth frowned and thought. What _would_ happen if he got Fair a pet? The most obvious outcome was that the animal would quickly die, of course. Not that he doubted Zack's skills as a caretaker – Fair, damn it, call him Fair at work – but as a SOLDIER, one's schedule was not always responsive to what one wished it to be. That is to say, missions happened, and sometimes they went on for rather extended periods of time after starting quite suddenly. There wouldn't always be time to find dog-sitter or a boarding facility before deployment, and animals that could be kept with minimal care and attention were less responsive to physical attention, like cuddling.

An animal that did not like to cuddle would not help in this situation.

But what did that leave? Dogs were the obvious answer, but as mentioned, they required constant, consistent care and attention. Cats were only slightly more self-sufficient. Ideally the creature would be something Zack could roughhouse with, so he could get rid of some of his excess energy. Sephiroth turned his mind briefly to monsters before considering that, while Zack – Fair – whatever – could almost certainly feel affection for anything, if his monster pet got loose in ShinRa a soldier would kill it without blinking, and wouldn't THAT just be a great "welcome home" present.

There had to be _something_. Angeal wouldn't have suggested it if it was a dead-end. Resigned, Sephiroth pushed it to the back of his mind. Maybe the answer would come to him while he wasn't thinking about it; in the meantime, he could be getting work done.


	4. Sometimes, a List Helps

Sometimes, a List Helps

Word Count: 991

Number one: he is obedient. (Once you get the intended timing across, anyway. _Now_, please.)

Number two: he is loyal. Sort of.

Angeal stared at the second item on his list. That morning, he had gone to pick Cadet Fair up for training, and found the boy rolling around on the mats with Genesis. The redheaded 1st had the cadet pinned. Considering the relative difference in strength, ability, and experience between a cadet a year into the program and a SOLDIER 1st class, this fact was unsurprising, and also made the fact that Cadet Fair had the room to struggle the way he was doing obviously intentional on Genesis' part.

Watching his handpicked cadet writhe under his best friend, Angeal would not have needed three guesses to figure out why Genesis was allowing Zack that space.

He had separated them, of course, and scolded Genesis. (Zack was _Angeal's_ handpicked cadet. If Genesis had wanted one, he should have made the proper arrangements. Of course, Angeal knew that Genesis _didn't_ really want one, and was only playing with Zack because Angeal had proved his interest by selecting him.) Genesis had borne it gracefully, and left the training room with a flirtatious wave and wink in Zack's direction. Zack's blush was so bright, Angeal would probably have been able to read by it on a dark night.

Angeal frowned and returned to his list.

Number three: he is comfortable interacting with people who significantly outrank him. This applies even in situations when others of his rank are easily observable and displaying more obvious signs of nervousness respect.

Number four: he is honest and genuine in everything he does.

Number five: when he does feel compelled to be dishonest, he is so obvious about it that the subterfuge is revealed almost immediately every time, saving the need for review of interactions based on false pretenses.

Number six: he never makes you feel the need to second-guess yourself.

_Unless he thinks you're being too stern_, Angeal thought, and wondered if he shouldn't start separating out a list of cons. But even though he might not ever tell Zack, Angeal also considered his sternness a character flaw. He knew many of the SOLDIER in his unit looked up to him as an almost paternal figure (although really, he was much too young), and many people had the image of the stern father in their heads, but Angeal wanted to learn to be more supportive. Zack was just childish enough to really _need_ that support, and not just crave it. It forced Angeal to be careful, and to moderate his sternness with affection.

Number seven: he is a never-ending source of affection.

Once you earned it, anyway. Zack wasn't a stuffed animal, and he didn't know everybody (_yet_, said a nagging voice in Angeal's head – and he knew, it was likely only a matter of time before Zack really did know everyone who worked in the massive ShinRa compound by name) but he certainly was able to get along with anyone at the drop of a hat, and with those people he did know, a sunny attitude was almost a given. Unless he was pouting, of course – but half the time, that was just to be cute anyway.

Number eight: he is unendingly energetic. In fact, he might even reasonably be described as hyper by default.

Number nine: he approaches all challenges with a positive, can-do attitude. (Although when thinking about the situation with Genesis this morning, it might be better if he wasn't _quite_ so quick to accept challenges in the first place.)

Number ten: he learns quickly when provided with either positive or negative consequences, and rarely provokes negative consequences to begin with.

Number eleven: he can sleep _anywhere_.

Most people didn't know it, but the ability to go to sleep at a moment's notice, in any situation and any position, was an asset to anyone who lived with the grueling schedule of a SOLDIER. You didn't always know when your next break would be, and sometimes the safest campsite was halfway up a tree.

Number twelve: he can focus on anything if directed to enough times.

That sort of sounded like he had ADD, but when Zack focused, he made things happen. If getting to focus in the first place was the greatest challenge he ever faced, the cadet would go very, very far.

Number thirteen: he's always happy to see me, which makes me always happy and excited to see him.

Being a general was stressful work; anything that could ease that was worth it.

Number fourteen: he knows the value of a good cuddle, and doesn't expect casual physical affection to automatically turn into sex.

Well, so far, anyway. Zack might still be a little young to be thinking about those sorts of things, but regardless, Angeal appreciated the cadet's ability to chill out and snuggle up. Serotonin is a thing, yo, and human contact makes for great stress relief.

Number fifteen: he's proud of himself when he does well, but also humble enough to constantly try to do better.

Angeal regarded the list with a smile. He was sure Zack had many other amiable and endearing qualities that made him well and thoroughly qualified as a candidate for special attention from a distinguished 1st like himself – qualities that had nothing to do with sex appeal. In the morning, he would hand the list over to Genesis, and that would be the end of cradle robber remarks.

On second thought, maybe he should take item number fourteen off the list.

—

Genesis reviewed the list Angeal had handed him, titled "Reasons to Consider Zack Fair for Acceleration through the Cadet Program (in no particular order)" and felt his eyebrows slowly inching up his forehead. When he got to the end of the list, he turned to his best friend, laughing, and asked, "Angeal, is Zack your cadet or your dog?"


	5. Sharing is Caring

Sharing is Caring

Word Count: 998

When he first heard Angeal was taking on a student from among the cadets, Genesis pouted. It may not have been obvious to the casual observer, but he made sure Angeal could tell he was upset in subtle ways: he shifted the emphasis of LOVELESS quotes to those about abandoned lovers and comrades, and found opportunities to annoyingly cling in ways that were only barely professional, like showing up for meetings he wasn't invited to (but nevertheless had the clearance for, of course).

It may have gone on like that indefinitely if Angeal hadn't finally snapped, but even then it wasn't exactly in the way Genesis had been hoping he would. "Why don't you try _meeting_ him before you judge him unfit for my attention?" Angeal growled one afternoon.

Well. If his _best friend_ wouldn't give up a passing interest some stupid cadet for _him_, Genesis would just have to take matters into his own hands.

When Genesis found his way to the cadet training room that Thursday morning, he had expected to find Fair a miniature version of Angeal: not quite as buff yet, maybe, but generally built along the lines of a powerful physical fighter, or built in the teenage approximation that indicated he would grow into one. Not so.

The intensive training of the cadet program was obviously taking its toll, and the boy was showing some impressive musculature. But he was built on wiry, not sturdy, lines. And while he and Angeal did have a (striking) physical resemblance in terms of coloring, it was there that comparison ended.

Cadet Zack Fair was beautiful.

Until that moment, Genesis' list of beautiful people had included himself, Sephiroth, Rufus, and that girl in that hotel he stayed in with Angeal on their first trip to Midgar from Banora. (What? Angeal might be his best friend, and the man was attractive, but he wasn't _beautiful_. Although apparently, if the people he chose to spend his time with were any indication, he did have excellent taste.)

A few of the cadets had noticed Genesis and were trying to subtly stare at him in awe (trying being the operative word – it was not the first time Genesis considered that Turk stealth training might serve the SOLDIER program well). Genesis pretended to ignore them, although of course he reveled in their attention. They _should_ look at him like that. He was a glorious First, after all, was he not?

Fair had not noticed him, or if he did, he was doing much better at feigning disinterest. Was this why Angeal had chosen him? He _was_ friends with Genesis, so perhaps he liked people who played coy. After a moment, though, Fair seemed to realize that his friends' attention was not on their morning workout, and turned to find the source of the distraction. His eyes landed on Genesis and he considered the First for a moment with a look of mild confusion, as if wondering what Genesis could want with him. Then he turned back to his routine as if nothing was out of the ordinary at all.

For his part, Genesis seethed. How _dare_ this cadet dismiss him?

It didn't matter. He would _force_ the cadet to engage if he had to, in a way Fair wouldn't soon forget. Striding across the room to the brunette, Genesis called out, "Cadet Fair?"

Zack looked up and then snapped to attention. "Sir!"

Was it just Genesis or did the word sound mocking on those perfect Cupid's bow lips? "You are the cadet receiving additional training and attention from SOLDIER First Class Angeal?" Genesis made sure his voice sounded demanding, although he rather hated the drill sergeant routine.

"Sir, yes, sir!" Definitely mocking. Did the boy think Angeal's protection would serve him even here?

"I would like to see the effects of Angeal's guidance. Are you prepared to demonstrate, Cadet?"

"Uh…" Ha. So Fair wasn't always perfectly prepared with a subtle, witty counterattack. Genesis could tell he had won this.

Trying and mostly succeeding to stifle a smirk, Genesis quirked an eyebrow and pivoted to gesture to the open training mat behind them. "Let's go."

Now Cadet Fair grinned. Excitedly, he strode past Genesis onto the mat before turning back to bow slightly, not taking his eyes off his new opponent. Good form, Genesis silently complimented. Not good enough.

Genesis let Fair attack, since he was the one who was supposed to be showing off his skills, and noted with indifference that the boy _did_ seem to have benefitted from Angeal's attentions. Unfortunately for Zack, Genesis had been training with Angeal for years, and knew all the tricks in his arsenal. It was mere moments before Genesis was able to tackle Fair to the ground and hold him there.

Zack struggled, of course, and Genesis was again struck by the youngster's beauty. The cadet's age wasn't a big deterrent – Genesis was a connoisseur of loveliness, and couldn't care less about something as insignificant as a birthdate – but there were rules about this sort of thing. Or rather, rules against it.

Still, Genesis shifted his weight until he was very subtly planking just above the boy so that he could enjoy the boy's struggling a little more. Honestly, in their current position, it was more surprising it hadn't happened sooner, but when finally their eyes met, Genesis felt a jolt pass through him for just a fraction of a second.

He wondered later if that fascinating jolt would have lasted longer if Angeal hadn't chosen just that moment to grab him and pull him off the cadet. Genesis endured Angeal's speech (about honor, discipline, and respect) until his friend gave in, glaring. Sauntering out of the gym, Genesis still couldn't shake his interest in that strange jolt; curious, he turned one last time to find Cadet Fair staring after him. Genesis did the only reasonable thing in that situation: he winked, twitching his fingers in a coy little wave.

Zack's blush was worth it.

A/N: Whew, barely made the word limit with this one. For those of you who are confused, these chapters are not always going up in chronological order and are definitely not cohesive. Over time, you will see themes emerge among installments that "go" together, but generally speaking, this fic is just a way for me to practice being a fic writer. I have a couple of self-identified areas for improvement, but I do always welcome your comments and insights.

As ever, thank you for reading!


	6. Verbal Sparring

Verbal Sparring

Word Count: 935

Zack Fair _could not_ stop bouncing. Even if Sephiroth, the General, Leader of SOLDIER, and boyfriend extraordinaire had ordered him to "cease your incessant fidgeting this _instant,_" Zack wouldn't have been able to. Not after today.

Luckily for Zack, Sephiroth, walking next to him, did not want him to stop bouncing. Sephiroth found the bouncing, and the enormous smile plastered on Zack's face, and his excited ramblings about all of the fun Sephiroth had just watched him have, quite cute. In fact, it was almost overwhelmingly cute.

"– and when he stepped on me and then sat down, I thought I might die, but I just wiggled a little and he lifted his foot off and moved it and settled back down and I was just surrounded by the _softest feathers ever_ and have you ever cuddled with a chocobo? They're so cute and soft and warm and then he leaned down and nuzzled my cheek with his beak and –"

If Zack behaved this way every time Sephiroth bought and presented him with a chocobo, the Shinra building would very soon find itself overrun with the birds. This time he had thought to take them out to the plains where chocobo ranches could more realistically be managed, but they couldn't schlep out here every day. Shinra was just going to have to adjust.

"– know when we can come back?"

Sephiroth only realized Zack had asked him a question when he noticed the brunette was no longer chattering, and tried to recall what the question was.

"We can come back whenever you want, Zack, as long as you aren't on duty."

This was, apparently, the right thing to say, as it caused Zack to launch into another slew of excited rambling and gesticulating. Sephiroth narrowly avoided getting punched in the eye as Zack waved his arms about, but more interesting was the way the motion caused sheded feathers that had attached themselves to Zack (well, he had basically been rolling in them) to detach and float away. In the evening sunlight, they looked almost like a shroud of golden rain.

For a moment, Sephiroth stopped to watch. Zack continued on, not noticing the change. "Zack," Sephiroth called, just a few paces behind, cutting the brunette off mid-ramble.

"Huh?"

A smile tugged at the General's lips. "You have feathers in your hair," he said, stepping up to his boyfriend and beginning to pick them out, delicately letting them fall.

"Oh," Zack whispered, blushing. He tucked his chin in to give Sephiroth better access to his hair, leaning against the taller man's chest. After a few minutes, Sephiroth was just running his fingers playfully through Zack's hair, having efficiently dispatched the downy feathers.

Zack looked up and found Sephiroth smiling gently down at him. Overcome by the love and affection and _happiness _he saw in those vivid green eyes, he rushed to fill the silence. "I really did have the most amazing time today, Seph, and if we can't come back for a while I totally understand. This is already more than anyone has ever done for me. I mean, a real chocobo – this can't have been easy. Thank you so much," he finished with sincerity.

"I'm happy that you are happy. It is a joy to watch you play so freely," Sephiroth said quietly. "I know you've been working hard lately."

Zack grinned up at him. "Well I can't be a Second forever!" he said cheekily. "Hard work equals promotion."

"You just made Second a few months ago, Zack," Sephiroth replied, laughing. "How quickly do you intend to ascend the ranks?"

"Welll," Zack said, drawing out the word. "The faster I make First, the faster I gain keycard access to your office, right?" Zack grinned. There were a number of floors and amenities accessible only to First Class SOLDIER, and Angeal had started rationing the number of times he would let Zack get away with "borrowing" his keycard in a week.

"What a pity that you'll be so much busier now, with a pet to look after," Sephiroth commented thoughtfully. "An all access-pass to the First Class floors? Sounds like it might have been fun." He meant it teasingly, but his voice came out soft and sincere, and he worried briefly it might go over Zack's head.

Instead, Zack stared at him for a moment in stunned disbelief. "You –!" he sputtered.

Sephiroth just chuckled mirthfully, glad the joke had gone over well. "You'll catch up someday, Zack," he affirmed. "There's no rush. And in the meantime, you have a new friend to play with."

"Yeah, well," he said grumpily, "I'll probably be here a lot, on all those days I don't want to deal with all the shit you give me just for existing." He glared, petulantly, and Sephiroth responded with a glare of his own, trying for a look of haughtiness and contempt. He couldn't hold onto it, though: Zack's pout was too adorable, and his effort at glaring made him look about as angry as a wet kitten. Relaxing his face into a smile, he pulled his boyfriend into his arms, and they kissed for a moment, gently, enjoying each other's company and riding the wave of mutual happiness and contentment.

"What will you name him?" Sephiroth asked against Zack's lips. "Your new pet?"

"He's been such a friend to me lately," Zack replied, sounding thoughtful. "I think I'll call him Chocobro." Zack pulled away from Sephiroth's tensed form, meeting his horrified gaze with dancing eyes. When it came to these verbal sparring matches, Sephiroth always started them – but Zack always won.

A/N: I have the odd feeling that I write more quickly and easily, and am more creative, in the middle of the night, but also that the quality of my writing suffers for it. As this work is un-beta'd, PLEASE let me know if you notice any typos or areas of bad flow or jerky transitions.

Even if you don't see anything like that, feel free to tell me that, too. ;) I welcome commentary!


	7. Right Foot Forward

**Right Foot Forward**

Word Count: 4033

"_SOLDIER First Class Angeal Hewley, report to Director Lazard's office immediately,"_ the PA system crackled. Angeal, about to dig into lunch in the cafeteria, frowned, and Genesis and Sephiroth looked at him curiously.

"Is your PHS broken?" Sephiroth wondered.

"Not to my knowledge," Angeal grumped. "It was working fine this morning." Irate, he pulled it out and checked. There were several new messages from throughout the day, but none from Lazard or his office. "It seems to be ok," he reported, confused.

The PA system was never used to summon individuals. SOLDIER missions were private, as were Turk missions, Infantry missions, and the business of everyone else that worked at Shinra, whether their position be administrative, scientific, military, or covert. The showroom gift shop downstairs had its own PA rig so that people could be called to the front, but that was different.

"Maybe the problem is in the Directors office?" Genesis suggested. "Although if Lazard needed you that badly, he should have just called."

Angeal shrugged. "I guess I'll find out," he said simply, collecting his tray and trying not to look too annoyed.

"_The wandering soul knows no rest!_" Genesis groaned dramatically, throwing his fork down on his plate.

Sephiroth rearranged his features in attempt to express his disappointment. "We were so close," he murmured.

Angeal frowned. Things had been so hectic in Wutai that this was the first time in months the three of them had all been able to find even a half-hour of free time to sit together. They had all been looking forward to reconnecting, and now Angeal was suddenly being called away. "Maybe things will go quickly," he said hopefully. "And if not, I'll see you both tonight. We're still on, right?"

Sephiroth nodded solemnly while Genesis pouted. "Yeah," the redhead grumped, "If you're still in Midgar, we're still on."

With that bleak reassurance, Angeal left their table to head up to Lazard's headquarters. Lazard's secretary greeted him with a smile and waved him right through, and Angeal took a deep breath before heading into the main office. Lazard was in his chair, spun around and not facing his door, so Angeal stood to attention and saluted a sharp "Sir!" to make his presence known.

He was not up for corporate waiting games today.

Luckily the Director didn't seem to be in the mood to play any, because the blonde turned in his chair and greeted Angeal with a quick upward quirk of his lips – not quite a smile, but perhaps an attempt at cordiality – and gestured for him to take a seat. Angeal sat very tentatively indeed.

"I apologize about the summons," Lazard said briskly, "but I wasn't sure where you were and I wanted you to come by as quickly as possible. My secretary was supposed to contact you about this yesterday, but we've been a bit behind on a number of things lately," he said by way of apology. "Anyway, his schedule is tight, so I needed you to work with it."

"I'm sorry, sir – his?" Angeal asked. Was he going to see the President, for some reason?

"Ah… yes. General Hewley, I know this is sudden, and very unconventional, but I've selected you to mentor one of the cadets this year. If you're ready, I can take you to see him now."

Angeal stared at his Director, floored. The mentoring program was new, and mostly developed for Seconds and older Thirds to help Third newbies adjust to life as super soldiers. For a general to mentor a cadet – Angeal had never heard of anything like it. (A little voice in the back of his head added, 'why is it that I have to fit my schedule to that of a damn cadet?' but Angeal pushed that aside.) "When you asked the three of us if we were interested in the program," he started hesitantly. Angeal and the other two generals had been approached a few months after the program was started, and asked if they were interested in tutoring promising Seconds that might have what it took to become Generals. Since there were no exceptionally promising Seconds at that time, they had all dubiously agreed, knowing they could prevent the promotion of anyone who wasn't skilled or well enough prepared for it. Privately, Angeal had gone to Lazard and indicated that he wouldn't mind working with the Thirds, but at the same time had expressed reservations about the way the other SOLDIER might view that kind of higher-up interference. But to train a cadet… there was no guarantee this kid would even make it into SOLDIER in the first place! It was ridiculous!

"I know this isn't what you expected, Angeal," Lazard said calmly. "This cadet's teachers have all identified him as having exceptional potential, and preliminary tests indicate he will be receptive to the mako treatments. Unfortunately, what he has in aptitude he lacks in performance. He is in need of special attention if he is to successfully join the ranks of SOLDIER – and all indications are that if we can get him properly trained, he could become a great asset to our army. As he seems simply incapable of performing in the standard setting, we're removing him from it," Lazard explained, seeming somewhat ruffled. "Apparently there's some motion to overhaul the cadet program, and this cadet is our unlucky guinea pig," came the blunt explanation. "I have his file here, if you would like to view it."

Lazard held a manila envelope emblazed with the ShinRa logo out to him. Angeal accepted it gingerly and flipped the file open, and was startled to be met with a familiar face. There, stapled to the top of a thick stack of papers, was a picture of the cadet he had run into at the Meet and Greet a week ago.

"Zack Fair?" Angeal asked, startled.

"Do you know him?"

"We met briefly," Angeal hedged. _This_ was the cadet being unanimously nominated for acceleration through the program?

"You weren't impressed," Lazard surmised, the familiar small quirk once again tugging at his lips. Angeal struggled with the urge to wipe that smirk off his boss's face, and won. Staring steadily across the desk at his Director, he shook his head.

"Well, wait until you see his combat style," Lazard suggested blithely. "If he's really a poor choice, we can always pursue other options."

Angeal frowned. It was not honorable to indicate to a man that he would be promoted one week and ruin his dreams the next, and Angeal nursed severe disapproval of this particular facet of ShinRa's corporate style.

"Angeal," Lazard said sternly, "I know this is an assignment you will hate. Perhaps it is an assignment that will prompt your hatred of me. Regardless, this is a directive from the upper echelons of ShinRa, and you are the only person who can make it happen. Fair _must_ be trained by a General. Sephiroth is good at inspiring his troops in horrible situations," Angeal stared at him blankly – it was common knowledge that Sephiroth was given the most dangerous, riskiest assignments because the labs were 'in constant need of more data,' and it was often all the General could do to bring back the men who had gone out with him, but he was legendary for his successes in that endeavor, "and at inciting them to push their limits," Lazard continued – and yes, Sephiroth's army consistently held records for most limit breaks while on duty – "but he is not good at supporting his men away from the battlefield, and he has a low conception of the differences between his strength and that of unenhanced warriors." Well, Angeal couldn't disagree with that, but it wasn't like it was Sephiroth's _fault_. He didn't really have anything to go on. "And Genesis would take one look at Fair and that would be the end of his decision-making process – the decision being whether he should ignore the boy completely or turn him into a plaything." Angeal was impressed with Lazard's assessment of his Generals – especially with how concisely and yet aptly he had pegged Genesis' character.

"And what is it you anticipate _I_ will do?" Angeal asked.

"Put your all into the mission," Lazard said simply, and then went on, "Angeal, you'll look out for him, and you'll make sure he's learning, but you won't coddle him or treat him like glass, and you'll push his limits, but you won't expect more from him than he can reasonably achieve. You'll get the damn job done. Now are you ready to go see him?"

"It doesn't seem like I have much choice."

This time, Lazard granted him a true smile, and it was beautiful enough that Angeal almost forgave him for the horrible situation being dumped in his lap. It was also calculated enough that Angeal almost punched his boss in the face to make him stop. Almost. "That's what I like to hear."

Angeal had followed Lazard to the observation room that looked down on the cadet gym. Like most exercise rooms in Shinra headquarters, the cadet gym was built with ease of viewing in mind, and it was a simple matter to watch the goings on of the room. Angeal picked Fair out of the group quickly. He was practicing his sword forms, a look of intense concentration on his face. Angeal immediately noticed that while his stance wasn't perfect, it looked like he was naturally settling into something resembling strong footing, and most of what he lacked was practice and guidance.

The boy was certainly not lacking in enthusiasm. He didn't even have a real weapon yet, and was practicing with a wooden pole until he could prove himself capable around something more dangerous, but his partner was quickly wilting under his onslaught. Angeal watched with interest born of necessity: he had already settled into thinking of himself as Fair's mentor, and was taking mental notes on the cadet's performance to discuss later.

"His grip is sloppy," Angeal groused. He kept watching, and in less than two minutes, Zack had moved his hands to a better position.

"No further complaints?" Lazard wondered aloud when Angeal had said nothing else by the time Cadet Fair put his pole away. "Maybe we should just skip the mentoring and promote him to SOLDIER now."

"He improved his grip, but only because he was about to loose hold on that pole," Angeal said irritably. "His stance is fine, to start, but his footwork is terrible, and it takes him far too long to get back into a stable position whenever he moves. He has a lot of enthusiasm, sure, and good energy, but he looks flighty. He hasn't been able to concentrate long enough to make it through any of his combos yet, and at this level the things he's trying are only a couple of moves strung together. He seems to be developing a nasty habit of whacking at his sparring partner like he's using some sort of machete. And don't even get me started on his core support."

"Sounds like you've got yourself a student," Lazard said mildly, and when Angeal turned to glare at him, he was met with a bland smile.

"It sounds like I've got myself a real pain in the ass," he said bluntly. "If I take him without complaining, will you lay off me and the other generals a little? Just for today?"

"You mean, if you take him without any _further_ complaining?" Lazard asked sweetly. "You and your friends can have the rest of the day off," the Director added, musing, "_if_ you go tell Fair about the change in his training regimen first."

"He doesn't even _know_?"

"I thought I would let you be the bearer of good news. I didn't realize you two had a history."

"It's not a 'history,'" Angeal grumbled. The Director quirked an eyebrow at him. "Fine, I'm going. The rest of the day off!" Angeal shouted over his shoulder, striding out of the observation room.

It took far less time than Angeal wanted to get down to the cadet gym, but once there he didn't wait around. He had a free afternoon to get to and a couple of good friends to catch up with, and no cadet would keep him long.

"Cadet Fair?" he said, approaching the boy.

Zack looked up from his squats. "Be– I mean, uh. Sir!" he rose into a salute.

Angeal sighed. He had no desire to ever learn what the cadet had been about to call him. "Cadet Fair, due to your performance in your classes over the past few weeks, you have been indicated for an accelerated program that, if successful, will push you into SOLDIER faster than would otherwise be possible. From here on, you will report directly to me." Lazard had said Angeal would have free reign over the cadet's training schedule, and Angeal was going to take advantage of that.

Fair gave him a speculative look. "Are you sure, sir?"

"_What_ did you say to me, Cadet?" Angeal glared. Cadet Fair didn't flinch.

"Sorry, sir, but… I think you have the wrong guy."

Angeal stared at the boy for a moment longer. First questioning a superior officer, and then telling him he was wrong – to his face? The kid had balls, that was for sure but… he wasn't very bright. And what the hell was his problem, anyway? Didn't he _want_ to be in SOLDIER?

"Come with me," Angeal barked after a moment's consideration. He obviously needed to sit Cadet Fair down and tell him point-blank what was going on, or the two of them would never get anywhere.

"Uh, sir, I'm in the middle of –"

Angeal couldn't believe it. "Are you refusing orders, Cadet?" he asked, voice dangerously low. "Or did you simply not hear me when I told you that from now on, you report to me? Do you know what it means to report to a superior officer, Cadet?"

The look on Fair's face was unreadable, and Angeal hated that more than any of the slights the boy had given him up to that point. Finally Fair broke eye contact, turning his gaze to the floor. "My apologies, sir. Right away." Satisfied, Angeal turned to leave the room, confident that Fair would follow him. A number of frightened and curious Cadet eyes tracked their progress, but it was only a moment after they had exited the room before Angeal heard their drill sergeant demanding that they return to work.

The general led his new charge to the elevators, trying to decide where to go. Lazard might still be in the observation room, and Angeal didn't want to deal with him. There were few other places that were likely to be empty – his office? But Zack would be there a lot, from now on, and Angeal had a feeling this conversation they were about to have would be hard. He didn't want Zack thinking about it every time he showed up for duty.

Pulling out his access card, he swiped the pad by the elevator floor options as they got on, lighting up a number of floors that were off-limits to the general public – and to lowly cadets.

A few people got on with them, riding for just a few floors. All looked curiously at the cadet in the general's custody, well aware of the difference in rank and interested in the story behind their being together. Angeal glowered at them all, willing them not to ask questions, as Fair smiled nervously at everyone he saw. They were the last still on the elevator, and when they arrived at their destination, Angeal had to shove Fair to get him to stop staring and take a few steps forward.

Successfully getting his cadet off the elevator, Angeal strode out past him onto the roof. It was usually empty – very few people had access, and it was rather too windy at midday for most of those to bother. The view was great, though, and the lack of railings were apparently enough to convince Fair he was about to get pushed off.

Angeal sighed. "Listen, kid. You're not in trouble."

Fair dragged his eyes off the view of the Midgar cityscape, and turned to look at his new commanding officer. Angeal didn't wait for any further acknowledgement.

"Your teachers think you have a lot of potential," Angeal began, and Fair closed his eyes, looking pained. Angeal knit his brow in confusion, but pushed on. "But it's also been identified that you… aren't doing well, with the… structure, here." He was trying to choose his words carefully, but it didn't seem to be helping much.

"Does everyone get the view?"

"Excuse me?"

"Ah. Sir, sorry. Does everyone get the view, _sir_?" Fair looked at him with pleading eyes. "Before they get fired? Or just the cadets who wash out before being hired in the first place?"

Angeal sighed again. "You're not being kicked out, Fair," he said gruffly.

"Really, because it sounds like I'm not going to be with the other cadets anymore – sir," he added belatedly, voice high. Angeal hoped he didn't start crying.

"Look, Fair, stop fucking questioning me, for starters. I don't know whom you did your protocol training with, but they should be court martialed. Now this is the last time I'm saying this: you're not being kicked out." Angeal enunciated each of his last five words very slowly and carefully, hoping they would finally sink in. "Sometimes people don't do well with the cadet schedule. It's nothing to be ashamed of. You're just going a different route. It might even end up being a faster route," Angeal added, though he thought he had said it before. Apparently the key to communicating with this kid was repeating yourself.

Fair stared at his shoes. Finally, impatiently, Angeal said, "You have my permission to speak freely, Cadet."

It was another long, drawn-out moment before Cadet Fair spoke. "When we entered the program," he started, and stopped abruptly. Angeal desperately refused to hear the harsh breath the cadet drew as a sob. "We were told some of us would wash out. If we couldn't handle the training, or the course material, or the…" that was definitely NOT a sniff, "the schedule. And now here you're telling me you don't think I can handle the schedule, and I'm not going to be with the other cadets in my year anymore, and yet somehow that's different from washing out."

Angeal told himself sternly that his heart was not breaking. This was teenage angst, pure and simple, and with a little reassurance – maybe a lot of reassurance – it would go away. "The higher-ups are using you as a guinea pig," he said bluntly. _Real reassuring, Angeal_, he thought, but he had the cadet's attention and there was no backing down now. "A prototype. You and me both, kid. They want us to figure out if there's another way – a way for kids like you, kids who show all the signs of being really great, but have something holding them back – for kids like that to get through without having to jump through all the hoops. Or, with expert training on what to expect from the hoops, anyway." Angeal felt he was not doing a very good job of explaining. "Look, we're both new at this, but I think – if you give up the defeatist attitude – I think we can make it work."

"Do I still have permission to speak freely? Sir?"

Angeal nodded once, curtly.

"Why… are you so adamant about making this happen? Wouldn't it be easier to let me think I am washing out… to let me leave? You don't even like me. Sir."

Angeal took a deep breath. "You were given to me as a mission, Fair, and one that no one else in the entire army is suited to take. If I fail, it goes on my record. So you better goddamn succeed."

"But you don't like me." Zack said it not as an accusation, or a complaint. It was a question, and one he seemed to desperately want confirmed.

"You're right, Cadet, I don't like you. But you don't have to like a person to do a job well with him, and you don't have to be liked to be successful. Keep that in mind." Angeal would not be able to tolerate a people-pleaser. It would be enough effort keeping Fair on track without having to constantly reassure him. "And you don't have to like a person to be straight with him, either."

Finally, Fair looked up and met his eyes again. "No," he said slowly. "No, I think you've proved that today." He waited a beat, and then asked, "Can I ask one more? Sir?"

"You may," Angeal granted with a slight incline of his head after a moment's consideration.

"Um… why the roof?"

"_Where are you, Angeal?"_ Genesis' voice sounded tinny over the PHS.

"I'm coming already." Angeal was literally sprinting through the building, having escorted Cadet Fair back to a floor in his clearance range. His afternoon of freedom had begun, and he was ready for it.

"_Well we're crashed on Sephiroth's couch. Get here fast and tell us everything."_ Lazard had apparently contacted Sephiroth and Genesis to alert them to their half day off, although had neglected to give them any details on the cause.

"Yeah. On my way," Angeal panted into the PHS.

"_And stop puffing like that, you sound like you're about to asphyxiate. Have a little SOLDIER pride."_

Angeal hung up on him.

It didn't take long to get to Sephiroth's suite, and the door was open, waiting for him. "Angeal," Sephiroth greeted calmly as his friend crashed through his door, "You forgot something earlier."

"Wha?" Angeal gasped. Maybe Genesis was right. He could have stood to run a little slower, right?

"Your lunch, beardbrain," Genesis drawled, and gestured to his cafeteria tray, neatly laid out on the coffee table in front of Sephiroth's glorious couch. "We rescued it for you after you ditched us. Lucky you have such thoughtful friends."

Angeal collapsed onto the couch, laughing. So _this_ was what it felt like to have people who cared about you around. Over the past few months, he had forgotten.

"So? What did Director Deusericus want?" Sephiroth inquired softly.

"Hm," Angeal grunted. He rearranged himself on the couch – into a more upright position, better for eating – and reached for his tray. Genesis pouted at the delay, but didn't try to stop him. "You guys know the mentor program?" he asked around a mouthful.

"Um. Aren't you a little…"

"Overqualified?" Sephiroth supplied.

"Yeah," Angeal agreed heartily. "But not just because I'm a lofty First." The three friends traded smirks. They alone knew how little glory the job truly held. "They want me to, er, _supervise_ a cadet."

"A _cadet_?" Genesis screeched.

"Supervise?" Sephiroth repeated at the same time.

"Yeah, apparently he's 'got a lot of potential' and they 'don't want to lose him' and think he's 'a great candidate for SOLDIER.' Except, you know, he can't do anything."

"Why…?" Sephiroth mused.

"A _cadet_?" Genesis whispered, shocked.

Angeal shrugged. "I don't know. I told him to stay with the rest of the cadets for today, while I figure out what to do with him. But…" they all traded glances. What the hell were you _supposed_ to do with a cadet?

"Is he hot?" Genesis asked after a moment.

"He's fourteen," Angeal replied tiredly.

Genesis looked like he was about to protest – Angeal hadn't answered his question – but Sephiroth silenced him with a look. "Is there anything we can do?" he offered. He obviously had no idea _what_ to do, but Angeal appreciated the offer all the same.

"Yeah," Angeal said slowly. "Yeah. Let's have the night we planned, and forget about everything else for now." He smiled at his friends, and their answering grins were all he needed to know he had made the right call.

With a mischievous glint in his eye, Genesis announced proudly, "It's party time."

He and Angeal turned to look at Sephiroth, who looked levelly back for a moment. Then, "Cake?" he suggested.

A/N: AND ON THAT NOTE. So, first I would like to apologize for the long wait. I know it hasn't even been three weeks, and my updating schedule is pretty fast compared to some other people, but I have been desperately trying to update this whole time, and I kept getting thwarted (getting all my residents to move out, graduating, moving out myself, packing and then unpacking again, etc.). On top of all that, this is not the chapter that was originally scheduled for this slot, but I have been having enormous trouble getting that chapter to work, so rather than keep beating my head against it I thought I would write something else instead. It's quite a bit longer than usual – consider it my apology to you.

As always, your comments and criticisms are welcome!


	8. Riddle Me This

**Riddle Me This**

**Word count: 232**

**20.6.14**

Genesis loved puzzles. He loved the challenge, he loved the way they required more intellect than strength, and he loved that they came in all shapes and sizes. He also loved that he was good at them.

He was going to figure this out. His numerous queries through ShinRa official and other online databases featuring keywords such as "eye contact," "jolt," "shock," and "electricity" were turning up a very odd assortment of potential phenomena.

Most indicated that he was attracted to Cadet Fair. Since Cadet Fair was beautiful, it was obvious (to Genesis) that Genesis would be attracted to him. But he didn't feel the same way when he locked eyes with Sephiroth, whom he also found attractive. Even if attraction played a part in it, that couldn't be the whole solution.

The ShinRa science department was turning up an interesting collection of data from a scrapped study on dominance between mako-enhanced SOLDIER and civilians or, in this case, unenhanced cadets. Apparently there was a possibility that Genesis had experienced the prey drive associated with encountering something weaker but still interesting. This _would_ explain why he felt nothing with Sephiroth: the General was obviously not weaker than Genesis.

But… but. Even though he had overpowered the cadet so quickly (and really, what other outcome was there), Fair hadn't _felt_ weak.

It was a puzzle, and one that Genesis was determined to solve.

A/N: Sorry it's really short! And it's been a long time! I'm pretty bad, huh? Ok, I'll make it up to you! Next chapter should be up later this weekend! (All the exclamation points!)

Oh yeah! The story's title changed. It used to be obnoxious and long and Latin, and now it's obnoxious and long and English. That makes it sound like I translated the old title, but I totally didn't. Anyway, formerly Canis Lupus Familiaris Zacharius is no longer. Say hello to HEROISM!


	9. Thinking it Through

**Thinking it Through**

Word Count: 1069

Angeal barricaded himself in his office and sat down to think.

"_What if you got him a pet?"_

He'd suggested it so blithely, like it was actually a good idea. What had he been thinking? Zack couldn't keep a pet. He may have only been a Third, but he was staring promotion in the face, and he was getting sent on missions pretty regularly. He was, in fact, probably the most slammed SOLDIER of them all at the moment: having proved himself, just about, capable enough to be a Second, he was treated as the best of the Thirds, which, to Lazard, made him the most ideal candidate for Third-rank missions. As good as he was, he was unlikely to fuck up, and HR tended to prefer the lower risk.

He was getting sent out nearly every day, and on days he wasn't out in the field, Hojo had him locked up in the damn simulations room. While having a pet to come home to would certainly improve his overall mood, there were too many other variables to consider.

Zack would feel like he wasn't taking good enough care of it, to start. He would be worried. It might affect how he did on missions. He could get hurt.

And what if he got sent away for a prolonged period of time? Of course the other generals would do what they could to fill in, but what if _they_ got sent off? Zack had plenty of friends, sure, but things could get hectic at SOLDIER very quickly. The absolute _last_ thing any of them needed was Zack coming home from an unexpectedly long mission to find his dearly beloved pet dead from starvation on his kitchen floor. What a nightmare.

Aside from his chaotic work life, there were other considerations as well. There were specific things that would be good in a pet for Zack and other things that were… less ideal. He would need something he could play with, preferably something soft that he could pet or cuddle or curl up with, if it was to be a stand-in for Sephiroth's aloofness. But Zack played rough, and like many SOLDIER, he wasn't always aware of how his enhanced strength compared to that of an average person – or animal, as the case may be.

Maybe a guard hound, like Rufus' Dark Nation, was the way to go? That thing was a beast, and with its defensive abilities it would certainly be able to stand up to a little SOLDIER roughhousing. Guard hounds were supposed to be incredibly loyal, though. Zack might not appreciate an animal that couldn't get along with his friends.

Although on the plus side, it might give him a convenient 'in' with Rufus. Normally Angeal wouldn't approve of Zack becoming close with the President's son, but recently he had begun to notice an increased Turk interest in Zack. If Rufus could be persuaded to feel affectionately toward his student, he might intercede on the boy's behalf with the Turks, and more to the better.

Aside from a guard hound, what else was there? Zack did well with animals of all kinds, and even most monsters tended to like him well enough. Angeal still shuddered thinking about the group of Mandragoras Zack had tried to bring home with him that time. The stings they got pulling those things out of his luggage were brutal. But Zack had begged and begged to keep them, and in the end had released them in a downtown park. As far as Angeal knew, he still fed them.

Maybe he was coming at this from the wrong angle. An animal might not be the right answer, no matter how resilient it turned out to be. Maybe what Zack needed was a human companion, someone who had no sexual interest in him to threaten his relationship with Sephiroth but who would still be able to cuddle with him any time. There had to be someone who could help in this situation.

What kind of person would be good for Zack, though? Someone energetic, obviously, to keep up with him. And they would have to be comfortable around Sephiroth, too, or else it would never work out. That qualification alone would rule most applicants out; after all, it was already something of a miracle that Zack was as comfortable around Sephiroth as he was, so asking that of a second person would probably be too much. But the point was that Zack was in a relationship with Sephiroth, so that had to come first – it would be useless to find someone Zack could cuddle with if cuddling that person meant breaking up with his boyfriend.

It would have to be someone in ShinRa, then. Only Turks, ranking SOLDIER, and scientists working for Hojo could deal with Sephiroth with any kind of calm functionality, so it would have to be someone from those ranks. But Angeal didn't want Zack anywhere near the Turks – they were dangerous at best and at worst would completely destroy everything he had been working for years to build in Zack. And among SOLDIER, while the 2nds knew Sephiroth cared about them, they all still thought of him as a commanding officer. They weren't comfortable with him.

Angeal didn't even want to think about what might happen to Zack if he started cuddling with a scientist. He would probably end up growing fat in the labs while they studied the extent his affections could be pushed.

If all the human options were out – and they were, it was clear to see – that only left an animal.

Frown deepening, Angeal pressed his mind to the limits. What would be a good pet for Zack? Surely there was something – there had to be. Reviewing his requirements, Angeal tried to think of a resilient, cuddle-friendly creature that could play hard and mostly manage on its own – or be managed elsewhere? That was it. An animal that was being taken care of by someone else, an animal that Zack could visit whenever he wanted to but not have the responsibility of caring for day-to-day – that would be perfect!

Sighing happily, Angeal relaxed. Sephiroth was smarter than he was, so he was confident the General would also come up with the right solution. By New Years, there would be a massive databank of pictures of Zack adorably cuddling a chocobo. Angeal was looking forward to it.

A/N: I re-wrote this chapter like four times and I'm still not happy with it, so I'm giving up. Angeal strikes me as the kind of guy who _would_ just sit and think through an idea, and possibly beat himself up over it, but I don't feel like his character really shines through here. The best I can say is that I sort of managed a protective/concerned vibe. :(

Next chapter will feature smut, so let me know if you're more eager to see Zack/Sephiroth or Zack/Genesis first, and I'll get right on it.


	10. Up and at 'Em

**Up and at 'Em**

Word Count: 85

Genesis made a low noise of contentment. Running the fingers of one hand through his lover's spiky hair, he nuzzled the base of the brunette's tan neck, letting his other arm drape over the younger man's waist and draw designs on his stomach. Zack grumbled a little in response, sleepily, and Genesis smiled. Zack was always drowsy after the first time, but Genesis knew from experience that if he made the effort to rouse his lover early, the younger SOLDIER could easily go all night.

**A/N:** Um. Yeah, about that, the rest of this chapter is not appropriate for this website, so the rest of it can be found at AO3. It's basically all smut, but it does do some set-up to show how Zack and Genesis interact in their relationship. Anyway, there's a link to the chapter up in my profile, so please feel free to head over there and check it out!

On another note, FFLove190 mentioned she had gotten a message from someone who says having two Zairoth fics showing up at once (hers and mine) is like Christmas come early. I hope my Rhapsair chapter isn't ruining your early Christmas! It had to be done, and no one indicated a preference when I asked last chapter, so I decided to just get started here (so I can get it over with faster, really… I swear, Genesis showed up out of nowhere and stole Zack from under Angeal's nose, it wasn't my initial intention to put them together!).

Finally, I would just like to say that anyone who wishes to contact me is perfectly welcome to do so! Reviews are always delightful, of course, and I pretty much always respond to them, but if for some reason that doesn't work for you, I'm totally open to using the private messaging function. Hit me up, guys, I love to hear from you!


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